The people

Flickr has over 87 million users, a number that has grown since a mobile and desktop redesign and the addition of free storage. While many of the users are “traditional” photographers – that is, they use a Canon, Nikon or other camera – the iPhone is the most popular camera on the platform, which is followed by smartphones generally.

The challenges

Flickr is a place to archive and catalogue photos. Businesses using the site should invest time in adding descriptions, captions and keywords so that their images are more easily found and increasingly shared. They also should add a watermark to their images to keep their brands at the forefront of viewers’ eyes.

The tips

1. Use Flickr for visual storytelling. Facebook may be emphasizing visual media, but if you truly want to tell a visual story, Flickr is the place to do it. You can present your story in its full glory, not in the reduced resolution version that Facebook offers. Even Google+ pales in comparison to Flickr. While you can upload full-resolution photos to Google+, they count toward the space available with your Google account.

2. Make your photos easy to find. If you want your story found, catalogue your photos intelligently. Use tags and relevant keywords so that your images will appear in search queries. Sets let you group photos by subject area or events.

3. License your photos and make them shareable with a Creative Commons license. Flickr may be a good place to archive your photos, but a primary result is sharing. Get earned opportunities by allowing people to share and use your photos.

4. Use groups. If you want to create connections and empower your fans, join groups or start one. Groups are a way for people to unite around a central theme, and to find and share images and stories that are relevant to them.

5. Flickr is for enjoying photos. Photos are a means for social interactions at sites like Instagram and Snapchat. Flickr offers a richer experience, which means you will want to post print-quality photos. You also want to avoid “salesy” photos; Flickr is adamant that you use the site to share photos, not to sell things.

6. Flickr offers business accounts and ways to advertise. If you haven’t noticed the ads, it’s because they’re less obtrusive than the ones found on sites like Facebook. They also don’t appear on paid accounts.

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Brian Conlin is a content marketing manager for Cision. A former journalist, he enjoys researching and developing accessible content. When not writing, you will find him watching baseball and college basketball, sampling craft beer and enjoying Baltimore. Find him on Twitter @BrianConlin13.